the best bike is the one you feel safest on - if there's a danger of mechanical trouble with your bike, and you'd feel comfortable on the borrowed one, then go for it! you'll see all kinds of different bikes at the try-a-tri - i watched someone walk their mountain bike up the nasty hill i mentioned earlier back in june. thought it might have been a mechanical, but they were walking it out toward the turnaround, so i guess they just didn't have the oomph for the climb!

i just breathe to one side - more oxygen is good, so to hell with breathing every 3 strokes. doesn't matter how much air you have in your lungs, you can push it out and get another breath every 2 strokes.

breathing pattern doesn't matter much for sighting - your form is more important. i swim pretty straight, so i only sight every 15 strokes or so, and usually only have to adjust by a degree or two at most. if your pull is uneven (stronger on one side), you may need to sight more often. maybe try every third breath (6 strokes) and see if you're moving off course; if not, use a longer interval.

edit: btw, you won't be sighting a buoy on your left - they should be dead ahead. these aren't like the buoy lines at a beach; just 2 big orange pyramids where you actually have to turn. head straight for the 1st one, turn right, straight to the next, turn right again, and you're headed back to the beach.

cheers!

-mistress k

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ill advised racing inc.